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Netflix NZ vs Netflix US: Everything you need to know

18 February 2019

Netflix has taken New Zealand by storm but are Kiwis getting the short straw when compared to the US?

Ever since some joker released a “Nitflux” parody video on the Internet, the New Zealand version of Netflix has had something of a bad rap. Obviously being a smaller, satellite region to the impossibly large Netflix US puts it at a lower rank in terms of content delivery priority. That said, and like most things, NZ’s library punches above its weight much more than you’d expect. Don’t just take my word for it, though; let’s methodically break down the subtle differences between the two right now…

Prices: Netflix NZ vs Netflix US

One area where you’ll not see much disparity is in the pricing structure of the two services as Netflix has a one-size-fits-all approach to every region it exists in. No matter where you are in the world, your subscription options are going to be: Basic, Standard or Premium.

Let’s start with the crème de la crème first: Premium. Laying down NZD$18.49 a month will grant you access to Netflix’s diminutive (yet always growing) library of 4K content, plus you can share your account across four devices at any one time. It’s perfect for large families, basically.

If you’ve yet to make a bold leap into the ultra-HD (UHD) television future – or your Internet connection isn’t up to 4K snuff – you’ll probably want to go for the next tier down: Standard. This cheaper investment will set you back NZD$14.99 a month and will deliver perfectly acceptable high definition (HD) content across two simultaneous devices.

Last and obviously least is Netflix’s Basic plan. NZD$11.49 per month will only get you a somewhat eyesore-ish standard definition (SD) signal that can only be streamed to one device.

How do Netflix US and Netflix NZ content libraries compare?

For the overwhelming most part, if the film or TV show you’re after is either a new release, highly rated or a Netflix original, you’ll see it released side-by-side on both Netflix NZ and its US counterpart. However, some rare exceptions occur and in these cases you’ll have to deal with a short wait time of exclusivity – typically no more than a month.

That said, when you compare Netflix NZ to the 73 odd other countries supported by the streaming service, the Kiwi library is surprisingly competitive. At the time of writing Netflix NZ sits within the top 10 regions in the world for TV and films totals. At last check (22 October 2018), Netflix US had 1,610 TV shows and 3,999 movies at a grand total of 5,609 titles whereas Netflix NZ had 1,422 TV shows and 3,146 movies which comes to 4,568 titles.

Netflix US is still the clear victor here, though it’s not the landslide that “Nitflux” meme would have you expect.

Check the table below to see what TV shows are available on Netflix US and what’s available on Netflix NZ.

Netflix NZ vs Netflix US TV shows

This table was last updated on 23 Feb 2019. 2168 TV shows available for comparison.

What about kids’ programming?

Availability-wise, both regions share the majority of Netflix’s kids content. Of particular note is the partnership that exists between this streaming giant and Dreamworks Animation Television to produce quality original series. You’ll simply not find these critically acclaimed shows anywhere else: Dawn of the Croods, Dinotrux, The Mr Peabody & Sherman Show, Dragons: Race to the Edge, Turbo FAST and All Hail King Julien.

Speaking of exclusivity, it’s also worth mentioning that Netflix has lost its Disney hookup recently. Where once you could happily binge-stream the best of Pixar and classics like Aladdin, all of the best “House of Mouse” offerings have moved off Netflix in preparation for Disney+, the entertainment giant’s very own foray into streaming services.

Does Netflix NZ or Netflix US offer better quality streaming?

There’s very little difference between the two regions from a technical standpoint – both utilise the same automated bit-rate adaption technology that fetches you your content in line with your Internet capabilities. In the end, it’s just going to come down to where you are in New Zealand and what sort of Mb/s you can siphon. Reliably streaming 4K is the only real challenge for the average Kiwi user. Netflix US exists in a country where 18.7 Mb/s is the average connection speed. The average in NZ is currently a less impressive 14.7 Mb/s.

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